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Live sport on SN this weekendCrosby, stalls & cash: Inside the NFL’s unprecedented transfer saga
Reuben Wickstead • March 13th, 2026 5:22 pm
Maxx Crosby | Photo: Raiders
One of the most dramatic NFL off-seasons in recent memory has produced more drama this week with the Las Vegas Raiders left reeling after their trade agreement to send star defensive end Maxx Crosby to the Baltimore Ravens collapsed at the final hour .
The deal was scheduled to see Crosby head to Maryland in exchange for the Ravens’ 2026 and 2027 first round draft picks.
Just four days later, the Raiders made a shock announcement that the Baltimore Ravens had “backed out” of their trade agreement for the 28-year-old, offering no further comment on the matter.
Reports soon followed indicating that the deal collapsed after concerns regarding Crosby’s left knee were flagged by Ravens’ medical staff during his physical.
Concerns were linked to a torn meniscus which the five-time pro-bowler sustained last season in a week seven game against the Kansas City Chiefs. Crosby played through the injury for much of the season before missing the final two game weeks and undergoing surgery on the affected knee in January 2026.
Crosby’s surgeon for the procedure, Dr. Neal ElAttrache, confirmed with ESPN that while the player is making good progress with his recovery he is still very much in the early stages, having only gotten off crutches a week before the trade.
“We understand the challenge the [Ravens’] staff faces when tasked to provide a future risk assessment based on an evaluation early in the recovery process.
This is especially challenging when dealing with an elite player like Maxx considering the level of commitment necessary for a team to obtain him,” ElAttrache said.
“The timing of this assessment is unfortunate because the apparent risk will lessen as his recovery progresses and his return to performance over the next few months becomes clear."
All of this information was public knowledge before the trade leading some to believe the Ravens simply got cold feet over the deal, something Ravens General Manager Eric DeCosta was quick to refute when he addressed the press on Wednesday.
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"I understand how people might maybe from afar would feel that way, but nobody's more upset about this than me, gutted by it actually,” DeCosta stated.
"We live in that age of skepticism and people question, especially people that don't really know me or know the Ravens culture and the Ravens organization."
Despite DeCosta’s disappointment about missing out on one of the league's premier pass rushers, the Ravens have been able to come away from the ordeal largely unscathed. Baltimore moved quickly to replace the elite edge threat that Crosby would have provided, picking up sought after Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson in free agency for a fraction of the cost.
Meanwhile, it is a very different story for the Las Vegas Raiders. Whatever the reason for the trade’s collapse, the optics of this unprecedented transfer saga have hung the Raiders’ out to dry and the franchise now finds themselves with their backs against the wall.
Following the Raiders’ initial agreement to move on from Crosby and his $NZ51 million per year salary, which made up almost 10 percent of their overall cap limit, the franchise decided to spend big in free agency bringing in the likes of: Tyler Linderbaum ($NZ38M), Kwity Paye ($NZ82M), Quay Walker ($NZ68M), Nakobe Dean ($NZ61M), Jalen Nailor ($NZ59M) and Eric Stokes ($NZ51M) for a combined $NZ462M total over three years (over three-quarters of which is guaranteed).
With the Las Vegas Raiders looking likely to select Indiana Hoosiers’ quarterback, Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 overall pick in the upcoming NFL Draft, these acquisitions indicate a readiness to move on from big stars like Crosby and rebuild the team around what they hope will be their new franchise quarterback.
With Crosby’s contract now suddenly still to account for, the Raiders are set to only have roughly $NZ60M-$70M of available cap space after paying their 2026 draft class. This would place them firmly on the lower end of teams around the league and make the prospect of their rebuild far more difficult.
Having already played their hand in free agency, other teams will know that Vegas can’t feasibly afford to keep Crosby on their books as things stand. Not to mention the negative effect the failed medical will have on his stock for other potential suitors.
Any deal the Raiders get for Crosby now is likely to be cut-price and net them significantly less than the original 2 first-round selections offered by the Ravens.
The Ravens’ late withdrawal from such a high-profile deal may yet shape how other teams approach negotiations with them in the future. For now though, it’s the Raiders who are left to contend with the immediate consequences of this unprecedented transfer saga.
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